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March 8, 1932. o. w. EISEN APPARATUS FOR REDUCING STIFFNESS FROM SHOES Filed Jan. 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR OTTO W 755! A TTORNEXS s also a,

ounce w. 01" HOLLIS; YORK, S16E03 '10 PM I. m6, wATmUlY,

422mm: I 8 REDUCING 8mm not: more Application 1161 January 1,3;v 1m. Serial 0; 485384.

his inv n ion relates o imp ments in apparatus to ease shoes to reduce therefrom the stiffness inherent therein when new.

An object oft'he inventionis-to nrovlde an 5, improved apparatus of. simple: an ractical construction" by means of which a s oe may have imparted thereto movements simulatinr those occasioned when the shoe is used for wglki'n v w Another object is to produce distinct oscillatory movements in different parts of a shoe about axes extehding transverse to, each other.

A further object is to aflix the sole of a shoe to a rocker member which will impart to said a sole a torsional action relative to the heel of said shoe, and to mount said heel upon a vertically oscillating platform the movements of which will cause the vamp and sole of the shoe to bend in a manner similar to that effected when being used for walkin The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, partly broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is afragmentary top plan view thereof, partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section; and

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Pi 1re 1.

he apparatus is shown as com rising a base 5 having extending upwardly t ierefrom along its longitudinal center the aligned bearings 6 and 7 in which is supported a rocker member 8 adapted for oscillation in the bearings and provided at its rear end with a crank arm 9. lounted upon the rocker member 8 and adjustable longitudinally thereon A; is a sole-clamping device which comprises a bearing block 10 having an aperture therein for receiving the rocker member and a set screw 11 for engaging the latter to secure the block in adjusted positions. Carried by the block 10 and extending on opposite Sides thereof, i s-the sole-supporting plate 12havin slots-13 therein in which are slidably mounte the clamps 14 for'engaging opposite edges of the sole of the shoe 15, as shown in Figure 1. These clamps 14 are adjusted by means of the rod 1-5 having opposite threads at its ends engageable with: the depending portions 16 ofthe clamps 14 so-that, when. the rod 15 is turned by means of a key engaged with the square portion 17 at either end of said rod to and the latter turned, the clamps'14 may be adjusted toward and away from each other. Onopposite sides of the rocker member 8 and also extending upwardly from the base 5 are the bearings 18- in which a platform 19 on ispivotally supported for vertical movement about an axis which extends transverse to the axis of the rocker member 8 and to the longitudinal axis of the shoe 15. This platform 19 is adapted to support the heel of the (0 shoe 15 and for this purpose the platform, at its rear end, is provided with a standard 20. Sl-idable vertically on this standard is a sleeve 21 having ring members 22 and 23 at its upper and lower ends adapted to receive a leg form 24 to the lower end of which is detachably secured a shoe form 25 insertable into the shoe 15 prior to the latter being lowered into position upon the latform 19 and engaged by the clamps 14. o secure so the shoe in this position the sleeve 21 is provided with parallel longitudinal slots 26 forming a flexible section 27 therein adapted to be engaged by the eccentric portion 28 of a clamping handle 29 which, when forced down to theposition shown in Figure 1, will fricti onally retain the sleeve 21 in an adjusted position on the standard 20. With the shoe thus adjusted upon the apparatus a vertical oscillation of the platform 19 will impart to the shoe, the sole of which is now held by the clamps 14, a movement simulating that produced when the shoe is used for walking wherein the vamp of the shoe will be flexed. At the same time that the platform is moved about its pivot the rocker member 8 is also oscillated through the medium of the crank arm 9 and this movement will impart to the sole of the shoe :1 torsional action relative to the heel/ivhich will also have the efi'ect of reducing stiffness in the shoe.

To effect the oscillations of the rocker member 8 and platform 19 there is preferably utilized a common source of power which, as

shown, consists of an electric motor 30 mount, ed upon the base" 5 and the shaft ofwhich has a worm'31 thereon for engaging the gear 32 of a rotatable element 33 also supported Y upon said base. This element is rovided therein with a cam groove 34: in which is engaged a roller 35 carried by the free end of the crank arm 9 so as to impart oscillations. to said arm as the element 33 is driven by the motor 30. The pivotal movements of the platform 19, are accomplished by connecting the same to the rotatable element 33 by means of the pitman rod 36. Thus, the apparatus simultaneously effects movements of the heel of the shoe relative to the'sole about an axis transverse to the vamp of the shoe, and also Z torsional action of thesole relative to the eel.

What is claimed is: p

-1. In an apparatus for reducing stifiness from shoes, supporting elements for the sole and heel of a shoe, and means to operate said elements to impart movements to portions of said shoe about axes extending transversel of each other. l 2. Iii an apparatus for reducing stiffness from shoes, so portin elements for the sole and heel of a s 0e, an means to operate one of said elements to impart to said sole a tor sional movement relative to said heel.

3. In an apparatus for reducing stiifness from shoes, means to hold the sole of a shoe, a platform supporting the heel of the shoe movable about an axis extending transversely of the shoe, and means to oscillate said plat form. v

4. In an apparatus for. reducing stiffness from shoes, a rocker member, a sole clam carried thereby for supporting a shoe longitudinally of said rocker member, and means to rock said member to torsion said sole;

5. In an apparatus for reducing stifiness from shoes, means to hold the sole of a. shoe, a platform supporting the heel. of the shoe movable about an axis extending transversely ofthe shoe, a rocker member extendin longitudinally of said shoe and carrying sai sole-holdin means, and means to rock said member an oscillate said platform.

6. In an apparatus for reducing stiffness fromshoes, means to hold the sole of a shoe, a platform supporting the heel of the shoe movable about an axis extending transversely of the shoe, a rocker member extending lonfrom shoes, 8. base, standards thereon, a

er member supported in certain of said stand- I;

ards, a platform ivoted to the other standards and Map shoe, means to secure the sole of said shoe to said rocker member, means carried by the to support the heel of a 76 platform for supporting said heel thereon,

and'a "driven'element mounted on 'said'base and common to said rocker member and platform for oscillating the same.

8. In an apparatus for reducing sti'finessshoe, means to secure the sole of said shoe to said rocker member, means carried by the platform for supporting said heel thereon, a driven element mounted on said base and common to. said rocker member and platform for oscillating the same, and a motor alsoon said base for operating said driven element. In testimony whereof have aflixed my signature. o.

. OTTO W.. EISEN.

not 

